The Low Carbon Economy Ltd

Low carbon technology vital to future UK energy security

The move to a low-carbon economy will be as crucial to securing the future energy security of the UK as it will be to tackling climate change, it has been suggested.

According to an independent report by MP Malcolm Wicks, the prime minister's special representative on international energy, new sources of power generation will help the UK to break its dependence on imports.

The report urged the government to pursue energy-efficiency drives and the development of more, home-grown renewable energy projects as a matter of priority.

Concluding that the UK should ensure energy-efficiency is at the heart of all its plans, Mr Wicks' report also called for the country to be kept at the forefront of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology.

The MP commented: "We must be far smarter with the energy we use and invest in homegrown energy sources, such as new nuclear and renewables without delay.

"Complete energy independence is an unrealistic goal but there is much we can do to insulate ourselves from the risks, in large part by driving our climate policies even further, quicker."

The Department of Energy and Climate change has welcomed the report, which it intends to consider as it moves forward with energy policy.

Ed Miliband, UK climate change secretary, added: "We'll continue to use fossil fuels in the near term as part of our transition to the low carbon economy and maximise our own North Sea reserves, as well as do all we can to secure the most diverse range of energy imports."